Meningitis tragedy of six-year-old boy who died hours after being sent home from Rochdale Infirmary

A six-year-old boy died from meningitis just hours after he was sent home with antibiotics by hospital staff. Mohammed Akheel Khan was rushed to Rochdale Infirmary Urgent Care Centre (UCC) by his mum, Safina, after he started vomiting at school.

A six-year-old boy died from meningitis just hours after he was sent home with antibiotics by hospital staff.

Mohammed Akheel Khan was rushed to Rochdale Infirmary Urgent Care Centre (UCC) by his mum, Safina, after he started vomiting at school.

He was discharged by a doctor, who Mohammed’s family say told them the little boy had tonsillitis and that they should let him ‘sleep it off’.

But less than five hours later Mohammed was taken back to the hospital after his condition deteriorated.

He was diagnosed with meningitis and died two hours later.

Mohammed’s mum was too upset to comment but his devastated grandmother, Christine Akram, who lived with the pair on Moss Street, Rochdale, said: “We noticed some small bruises on his stomach and asked them to check for meningitis, but they just told us it was nothing. When he was discharged he started to be sick in the car park so I went back in and told them I was not happy.

“They just said take him home, put him to bed and let him sleep it off.”

After Mohammed became unwell at school, teachers at Kentmere Primary contacted his mum who immediately took him to the UCC at about 4pm.

He was discharged at 6.30pm but his condition worsened and he was taken back to the UCC at 11pm.

He was diagnosed with meningitis at about 1am on Saturday and a consultant was called to treat him, but he died under two hours later.

Mohammed’s funeral was held on Monday.

Rochdale Infirmary’s A&E was recently downgraded to an urgent care centre and Mohammed and his family campaigned against the changes.

Last month, Mohammed was among a 400-strong crowd who marched through Rochdale town centre to protest against cuts at the hospital.

Mrs Akram added: “When we went on the march he was telling everyone that he was going to save Rochdale Infirmary.

“He was such a clever and bright little lad.

“He was always happy and always wanted others around him to be happy.”

The UCC is staffed by two GPs and emergency nurses who can call on consultants for support.

A hospital spokesman said Mohammed was treated by the same level of medic who would have seen him had the unit still been an A&E.

Dr Anton Sinniah, clinical director of medicine for the Pennine Acute Trust, which runs Rochdale Infirmary, said: “He was seen by the doctor in the Urgent Care Centre.

“Full checks were carried out. Mohammed was then discharged and the family was advised to come back if he became unwell again or if they had any concerns.

“It would appear that his clinical condition deteriorated despite his initial improvement.

“Mohammed was brought back to the UCC six-and-a-half hours later by family concerned that he had developed new symptoms.

“A consultant paediatrician at Rochdale Infirmary assessed Mohammed but despite every effort by staff Mohammed sadly died in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with the family at this sad and tragic time in their lives.”

A spokesman for the trust said: “Despite the recent replacement of the A&E department at Rochdale Infirmary with the Urgent Care Centre, the doctor who saw Mohammed was the same as had the unit still been an A&E department.”

Rochdale Council confirmed that no other cases of meningitis have been reported at the school.

A letter has been sent to parents advising them of common symptoms to look out for.